Syracuse Lacrosse: Seniors Look for Revenge Saturday Against UMass

UMass will enter the Dome Saturday trying to ruin senior day for the Orange's top four year players.

Tewaaraton Trophy finalists Mike Leveille and Steven Brooks will step on the Carrier Dome turf for the last time ever as players tomorrow. Their four years has seen some disappointing losses to UMass so what better way to leave your mark on the Dome by obliterating the men who have caused you so much pain.

The Minutemen are awful this year. They are just 5-7 on the season, but in their defense, eight Minutemen were suspended before the season for off the field actions.

This series isn't really a rivalry since SU has dominated overall 26-8, but it does have historical significance. A big win would be some sweet revenge for the Orange.

UMass has ended two of the Orange's most prestigious streaks during the last few years. In 2005, the 'Cuse didn't reach the final four for the first time in over 20 years after UMass defeated the Orange in the first round of the NCAA tournament 16-15. Little known face, the Orange actually played the Minutemen to end the season as well and lost in overtime.

In 2007, the Orange clinched their first losing record in decades with their 9-7 loss at Garber field in Amherst.

SU shouldn't have too much trouble with UMass. The Minutemen's best player is their goalie Doc Schneider who has a solid .610 save percentage. He leads the nation's top man-down defense.

Offensively, UMass is lacking. They've got one solid scorer in Tim Balise who has 30 goals. Basically the Orange need to do what they did against Albany. Clamp down on the rest of the team because one player, in this case Balise, isn't going to single handily beat you.

Hopefully the Orange can blow UMass out in order to get senior goalie Peter Coluccini back in the cage for a few minutes in his last game in the Dome.

The game is at 2PM in the Dome.

Troy Nunes has the women's lacrosse team and their trip to the Big East Tournament covered already. If I wrote something on them at this point it would just be over kill. So enjoy TNIAAM's coverage.